How many tick species exist worldwide? - briefly
Current taxonomic surveys recognize roughly 900 tick species worldwide, with about 800 well‑documented. Most belong to the families Ixodidae and Argasidae.
How many tick species exist worldwide? - in detail
Ticks belong to the order Ixodida, comprising three families: Ixodidae (hard ticks), Argasidae (soft ticks), and Nuttalliellidae (represented by a single species). Global taxonomic surveys list roughly 900 – 950 valid species. The distribution among families is approximately:
- Ixodidae: 800 – 850 species
- Argasidae: 100 – 120 species
- Nuttalliellidae: 1 species (Nuttalliella namaqua)
The majority of described species occur in tropical and subtropical zones, where biodiversity is highest. Temperate regions host fewer taxa, but several medically important species, such as Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis, are concentrated there.
Annual descriptions of new taxa add 5 – 10 species, primarily from under‑explored habitats in Africa, Asia, and South America. Molecular analyses frequently uncover cryptic lineages, suggesting the current count underestimates true diversity.
Recent comprehensive catalogs (e.g., Guglielmone et al., 2023) and the Tick Species Checklist maintained by the International Society of Ticks provide the most up‑to‑date figures, confirming the global species pool remains below one thousand but continues to expand with ongoing research.